Prior art vehicle antitheft devices have included steering column locks, burglar alarms, ignition lock guards, hood locks, brake lock devices and hooking mechanisms which engage the steering wheel and brake pedal. These devices have been unsuccessful in stopping thieves because these systems can be removed easily or bypassed in a short period of time. For instance, alarm systems can be easily bypassed by an experienced thief in about one minute or less and the system which hooks the brake pedal and steering wheel can be easily pried loose in less than one minute.
The brake-locking mechanisms in the past have not been effective because they have interfered with the safe operation of the brakes.
As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,972,300 issued to Hemingway, Jr. on Sept. 4, 1934 teaches a brake-lock mechanism hidden underneath the floorboard which is locked by means of a ratcheting pawl which engages locking slots in the locking shaft, which locking shaft is operatively connected to the brake pedal. In this Hemingway patent, the lock is disengaged by the energizing of an electromagnet which pulls the locking pawl out of engagement with the locking shaft. It is evident upon examination of this mechanism that a failure of the electromagnet disengaging system would result in an unsafe brake lockup and would, therefore, interfere with safe brake operation.
Also known to the prior art is the brake locking mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 1,516,482 issued to Gray on Nov. 18, 1924. While the Gray '482 mechanism would not interfere with safe operation of the brakes, the locking mechanism is easily circumvented by either "prying" the brake pedal engaging means loose or by breaking the lock. Either method could easily be accomplished due to the easy accessibility of the system from the vehicle interior.
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,260,051 to Reiser, issued Mar. 19, 1918 discloses a locking assembly for motor vehicles. The assembly includes a brake or clutch pedal to which a locking shaft is fixedly secured. The other end of the locking shaft extends through the vehicle floor and is slideably supported within an opening of a base plate located away from the vehicle floor. A plunger having bars thereon is actuated and the bars engage openings in the locking shaft to prevent movement of the locking shaft. This patent is most deficient in that the locking shaft is fixed to the brake pedal and cannot be removed. This may cause inadvertent locking of the brakes during operation of the vehicle.
The European Patent Application No. 0,086,087 filed Mar. 2, 1983 discloses an antitheft device for automotive vehicles. This application shows a "J" hook member. The shaft is supported by locking member. The shaft has a plurality of ratcheting teeth thereon. The base of the shaft engages the vehicle floor. When the device is locked, the purpose of the "J" hook is to prevent application of brakes.
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,764,383 to Bejek, issued June 17, 1930 discloses a device for locking a vehicle clutch a brake in the engaged position. This patent shows a shaft which is fixedly secured at one end to a brake pedal below the floorboard. The opposite end of the shaft is slideably retained in a housing. The shaft has a plurality of teeth thereon for locking the shaft within the housing for locking the brake or clutch pedal in the engaged position.